Interesting TEP conditions today. Seemed like half of the Pacific had access to MUF at or above 50MHz. JA's and HLs worked on 6m. The following pic of the R1 and CCTV video carriers is telling, with many offsets not normally seeen.

Scatter condx showed definite signs of improvement this morning as Paul VK4MA was heard CQn on 50.1106.

Backscatter being heard from Remi FK8CP today is the best I've heard since last Feb. Besides some very defined, and loud, MS pings signals are generally up. Remi has been 539 on CW, but also very audible on SSB at RS51.

Condx on 10m were superb this morning. Ws stations were RS59 from just on 2000z (0600 AEST). But as usual my focus was on the potential for EU via LP. What was most interesting was that the footprint for EU LP contacts was very defined with only CT and EA stations worked, but signals well above RS59 were exchanged.

6m continued to show promise, but has yet to deliver any significant trans-Pacific paths. Remi FK8CP was regularly rx'ed on scatter this morning.

But was regularly QRM'ed by a station who keyed down on 50.110 for 50sec blocks numerous times. The break in the trace below was caused by switching from CW to SSB and back to CW .

Another image from the 'Only in QG62' file

This was the first of a series of S9+60db carriers 'dropped' on 50.110 from 2034z this morning!

It begs the question why?

Remi FK8CP CQn on 50110.6 RST559

The day is beginning as usual, with Remi FK8CP CQn on 50.1106 CW.

Very loud CW MS ping on 50.110 at 0709z

The unsettled condx continue, with very little propagation being seen as high as 50MHz. With TEP normally well established by this stage of the equinox, we are seeing just weak openings. The CCTV and Warbler at are pulsing in and out, but not being sustained.

This is best shown with the following sequence of traces.

At 0605z

At 0610z

And at large pulse at 0614z

Well the NH8S DXpedition operation closed at 0400z on Sept 16 and the final log updated. Twenty one band slots filled,  #3 in VK and I'm pretty happy with the outcome. Learned lots about the station - particularly the challenge of operating on the WARC bands and RTTY... both have never been a focus. Planning for tackling this begins!

Woohoo.... NH8S band slot 21..... 17m RTTY completed!!

Withe the coconut at the helm of the NH8S 6m station, my chances of working it are surely dwindling. As of last night I have 9 bands CW, 8 bands SSB and 4 Bands RTTY worked (15m not yet confirmed in log update below).

If the coconut is more attentive, and the sun plays the game (this is the most challenging) then I might be able to add some more!

FWIW It's little wonder why NH8S has been so hard to work on 6m... the damn coconut as the main 6m op doesn't have any arms to work keyboard/keyer!

It's been two days since NH8S started 15m RTTY operations... and I finally nailed them!

Scatter from Remi FK8CP CQn on 50.1106 is already good... here's hoping for that elusive path to NH8S!

Monitoring for the NH8S beacon on 50.107 and copied Remi FK8CP trying to break beacon.

Finally the news we've been waiting on... NH8S has their 6m yagi constructed and contrary to the information being passed by their 15m SSB operator it is on air.

At 0258z and again at 0337z Victor E51CG (Sth Cook Is)and Warwick E51WL (Nth Cook Is) both reported hearing the beacon with signals up to RST569 but were unable to break it!

Whilst 6m has been relatively quiet, I've been able to concentrate on chasing the Swains Island DXpedition. So far so good. At 0500z Sept 11 14 out of 19 available slots worked, and a further 2 slots added post the log update shown below.

But as I type this, 6m scatter from out of the Pacific is building. Remi FK8CP is the best I've heard him for quite a while and is up to RST539 (screen shot below). Another station approx 50Hz higher than Remi's QRG is also being seen, but as yet too weak to resolve the callsign.

Fred KH7Y CQn on 50.105 now. Weak, but some very good MS like bursts punching through.

KH6's have been in again via TEP with KH6HI heard and KH7JJ worked. Now with the yagi QTF 330 the first traces of CCTV video are coming though.

Was monitoring 50MHz with the yagi on KH6, when video 'crud' covered the band. At first I thought it was potentially ZL, but a quick turn of the yagi QTF 330 and CCTV and R1 video carriers were RS59+. Subsequent tuning of the beacons saw both JA2IGY and JE7YNQ rx'ed. Ken JA3EGE responded to my CQ on 50.110 with RS59 signal.

The morning begins with the now regular backscatter from Remi FK8CP...

And also worthy of not is that Phil TI7/N5BEK reported ZL video again earlier.. at 1600z (2am AEST!!!)

Now Fred KH7Y makes his presence felt...

Fred KH7Y or Remi FK8CP CQn 50.1106

Most likely FK8CP due to the trace being to the nearest Hz that Remi is RXed on!

My predictions have come true... albeit quicker than anticipated. Both KH6HI and KH6HME beacons being rx'ed now!

KH6HI

KH6HME

The excitement of hearing Remi FK8CP on scatter will soon be lost, as the path becomes the norm through the coming equinox... but hopefully with it will come the trans-Pacific path to at least TI, YS and W.

Remi FK8CP CQn at 2318z this morning.

Very weak CCTV video coming in via TEP... Rizhao Shandong 49.749962 the main carrier, with Yongcheng Henan 49.750.058 also appearing.

The scatter from Remi FK8CP still there, but has weakened considerably.

Early indications of the Pacific path returning again, with Remi FK8CP on backscatter

Very short bursts of CCTV video signal appearing again...

Rizhao Shandong 49.749962 and also 49.750.059